OO7 - It’s Complicated
June 15-July 31st, 2017
Panel discussion 4pm, Film Screening 9pm, Opening 7-10pm on Saturday June 17.
It's Complicated
It’s Complicated is a response to Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations in 2017 by the OO7 (Ottawa Ontario 7) Collective and invited Special Agent artists. As Indigenous peoples of this land, from coast to coast to coast, 150 years represents a very minuscule passage of time, especially in terms of the longstanding presence and occupation of homeland territories. Yet this seemingly fleeting moment in time is monumental in its impact on Indigenous communities, culture, language, identity, rights, water and land. This exhibition by 10 Indigenous artists working in diverse artistic practices offer an alternative perspective to the widely propagated Canada 150 celebrations by revealing timely and poignant aspects of this convoluted historical and contemporary relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples. If there is any room for celebration in 2017 from an Indigenous perspective, it is a celebration of survivance, tenacity and perseverance. It’s a complicated celebration.
OO7 (Ottawa Ontario 7) featuring Ariel Smith, Barry Ace, Frank Shebageget, Leo Yerxa, Michael Belmore, Ron Noganosh and Rosalie Favell with OO7 Special Agents Barry Pottle, Joi T. Arcand, Meryl McMaster,
The Ottawa Ontario 7 (OO7) are a group of Ottawa-based emerging, mid-career, and established artists who have come together as a collective for the sole purpose of presenting new work outside of the established curatorial practice and traditional institution art venues. The collective’s philosophy is unrestricted and provides each artist with the freedom and flexibility to take risks, experiment, or present works that are an extension of their current body of work.
The moderated panel discussion will reflect on the five-year anniversary of the OO7 Collective and Special Agents, including their formation and exhibition history. The artists will also share their personal views and response to Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations in 2017 through a poignant discussion on their works of art in the Central Art Garage exhibition It’s Complicated.
The panel will include artists Barry Ace, Howard Adler, Rosalie Favell, Meryl McMaster, Ron Noganosh, Frank Shebagaget, and Leo Yerxa.
Special Guest Outdoor Film Screening by Howard Adler
This exhibition is presented in collaboration with the National Arts Center as an official Canada Scene event.
